Florida Senate - 2025                                     SB 692
       
       
        
       By Senator Osgood
       
       
       
       
       
       32-01253-25                                            2025692__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Swimming Lesson Voucher
    3         Program; amending s. 514.073, F.S.; revising the
    4         purpose of the program; revising the contract
    5         requirements for establishing a network of swimming
    6         lesson vendors; revising eligibility criteria to
    7         participate in the program; providing an effective
    8         date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 514.073,
   13  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   14         514.073 Swimming Lesson Voucher Program.—
   15         (1) There is created within the department the Swimming
   16  Lesson Voucher Program. The purpose of the program is to
   17  increase water safety in this state by offering vouchers for
   18  swimming lessons at no cost to families with an income of no
   19  more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level who have one
   20  or more children 4 years of age or younger.
   21         (2) The department shall do all of the following to
   22  implement the program:
   23         (a) Contract with and establish a network of swimming
   24  lesson vendors that will accept the vouchers offered by the
   25  program in exchange for providing swimming lessons. To establish
   26  the network, the department may contract directly with swimming
   27  lesson vendors or contract with one or more nonprofit
   28  organizations that promote swimming safety to subcontract with
   29  and manage swimming lesson vendors in one or more counties, or
   30  both. To ensure that swimming lessons are available throughout
   31  this state, the department, either directly or through a
   32  contracted nonprofit organization, must attempt to secure at
   33  least one such vendor in each county. Any swimming lesson vendor
   34  that offers swimming lessons at a public pool that is owned or
   35  maintained by a county or municipality must, if requested by the
   36  department or by a nonprofit organization contracted by the
   37  department, participate in the program.
   38         (b) Establish a method for members of the public to apply
   39  for swimming lesson vouchers and for determining an applicant’s
   40  eligibility. The department shall establish eligibility criteria
   41  necessary for a family to receive one or more vouchers from the
   42  program, including, but not limited to, the following:
   43         1. The age of each child for whom a voucher is being
   44  sought, who may be no more than 4 years of age.
   45         2. The family income level, which may be up to 200 percent
   46  of the federal poverty level.
   47         3. The family’s address of residency in this state.
   48         (c) Subject to specific appropriation, issue vouchers to
   49  eligible applicants.
   50         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.